showy
UK[ˈʃəʊi]US[ˈʃoʊi]
adj
attracting a lot of attention by being very colorful, bright, or exaggerated in appearance or manner, sometimes in a way that is considered tasteless.
adj
(of a plant) having brightly colored flowers or other conspicuous features.
Morpheme Breakdown
show
y
show
display
y
adjective suffix
Etymology
the word 'showy' is a straightforward english formation, combining the native germanic root 'show' with the productive adjectival suffix '-y'. the verb 'show' itself originates from old english 'scēawian', meaning to look at or inspect, which evolved to mean to cause something to be seen, to display. by the 16th century, the suffix '-y' was appended to create the adjective 'showy', literally meaning "characterized by show or display." the semantic journey is direct: from the act of seeing or presenting, to an adjective describing something that is conspicuously presented or designed to attract the eye, often carrying a potential connotation of excess or ostentation. this evolution reflects a logical progression from the action of displaying to the inherent quality of being display-oriented.
Analysis
Structure: show (display) + y (adjective suffix)
- show: from old english 'scēawian' (to look at, see, gaze upon), germanic origin. functional role: the core semantic root conveying the sense of display or appearance.
- y: from old english '-ig', a common adjective-forming suffix. functional role: suffix that transforms a noun or verb into an adjective meaning "characterized by" or "full of".
Examples
she wore a showy diamond necklace that sparkled under the ballroom lights.
the garden was filled with showy peonies and dahlias in vibrant shades of pink and red.
his showy gestures and loud voice made him the center of attention, for better or worse.